The Two Maidens of Light
by Elenhina
Summary: Two girls have been sent to Middle-Earth to help in the elimination of Sauron. They are given the ability to govern the light of the sun and moon. One ends up in Mirkwood, the other with a bunch of trolls, and nobody seems to happy to see them.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer- I own nothing except my two main characters, and various other people who will appear for plot purposes. I do not take credit for Middle-Earth or any places, people, or things therein. Please tell me in either a review or an e-mail if it seems I am trying to take credit for something that is not mine and I will correct it as soon as I possibly can.   
  


Author's Note- I know that in this story I will not always stay true to Tolkien, but I will try. Please tell me if you believe there is something extremely wrong and I will either give my explanation for it if it is intentional, or correct it as soon as I possibly can if it is something that I have overlooked. This story does fall into the category of "girl falls into Middle-Earth," but I have been having this strange urge to prove that you can write a decent "girl falls into Middle-Earth" fic. I repeat, I know that I will not always stay true to Tolkien, especially at the end, but this is my fanfic and I will write it the way I wish.  
  


Concerning Flames- I do not consider all negative reviews flames, so long as they give me something I can improve on. Reviews that only say what a person believes is wrong with the story, or their opinions, I do consider flames. Please, if you do have negative views on this fic, please tell me why and how I can fix or improve those things. Thank you.  
  


P.S.- I know the prologue is extremely short, which is why I'm posting the first chapter at the same time. I plan for future chapters to be longer.  
  


Prologue~   
  


"These words I bring," spoke Gandalf the Grey to the Lords of the elf-kind, Elrond, Celebrian, Galadriel, Celeborn, and Cirdan, not long after Gandalf and Saruman's arrival to Middle-Earth, "as hope to you from the Rulers across the sea.  
  


'On a night bright as day there shall come

Two maidens fair and free

One like night and one like day

The embodiment of hope they shall be   
  


'Gifted with knowledge and understanding

And with strength and healing in their hands

Their light will aid in the fight for the free

And eliminate the darkness across the lands  
  


'Great shall they become, loved by all

Yet they must return form whence they came

Bare time to complete their task will be given

Though maybe again shall they return to rekindle old flame'  
  


"This is the message I was sent to bring you." Of this message no more was said, and none else were told of it or it's contents.  
  
  
  
  
  


P.P.S- Thank you all who took time to read this fic. Please review with what you think. Again, Thank You!


	2. A Walk in the Woods

Disclaimer- I own nothing except my two main characters, and various other people who will appear for plot purposes. I do not take credit for Middle-Earth or any places, people, or things therein. Please tell me in either a review or an e-mail if it seems I am trying to take credit for something that is not mine and I will correct it as soon as I possibly can.   
  


Author's Note- I am posting this chapter with the prologue before I see any reviews. And for future reference, any dialogue in elvish will be stated as being in either elvish in the story itself, or it will have the exact elvish words with the translations immediately following. Thank you to all who are reading this.  
  


Chapter One~  
  


"Belle!" Liv called half laughing, half extremely annoyed, as she chased after her best friend, who had just thrown a pinecone at her, hitting her in the back of the head. Belle had then run away yelling very childishly, "Catch me if you can!"  
  


Liv had already chased Belle out of Liv's backyard and into the woods behind her house. It was the two friends' last summer together because that fall they both were heading to college. Different colleges.  
  


"Belle! Belle! Isabelle Marie Simmons!" Liv shouted, throughly exasperated, as she heard Belle getting further ahead of her. Finally, she heard Belle's progress stop.  
  


"Olivia Anne Watson," Belle said mockingly as Liv ran up to her giving her a good whack on the back of the head. "What was that for?" Belle began innocently and pretending to rub her head soothingly. For that she got another good whack on the head. That started the glaring contest. Suddenly a bird chirped loudly from somewhere above their heads. Breaking their eye contact, both girls looked up for the source of the noise and then around them.  
  


"Do you have any idea where we are?" Liv asked worriedly as she continued to look around. They were on the edge of a pleasant grassy clearing, and the trees above were swaying gently in the wind. It was a wonderful place in its peacefulness, but Liv didn't like it. To her, they were in the middle of nowhere, and they had no idea how to get home, or anywhere for that matter.  
  


"Isn't beautiful?" Belle asked in an awed whisper, smiling broadly, completely oblivious to Liv's worries. She stood with her arms spread wide, her head thrown back with her eyes shut as she breathed deeply the clean air.  
  


"Is that all you can say?" Liv began angrily, "We're lost in the middle of God knows where, and all you can say is how beautiful it is? It's your own stupid fault we're here in the first place." And with that, Liv stalked away, going straight through the clearing. Liv knew she was being unfair and she had no reason to this angry with Belle, it was just that she was already annoyed, and her attitude had made the situation worse in Liv's eyes. Belle, however, only stared at the ground guiltily, and rather in shock at her friends sudden mood swing.  
  


"I'm sorry," Belle started, rather meekly. She was used to Liv being mad, but very rarely was she ever mad at her.   
  
  
  


However, the response from Liv was quite different from what it would normally be. "Belle get over here, quick," were the words Belle heard drift across the clearing. There was an urgency in her voice that made Belle comply faster than usual.   
  


Belle was in the middle of forming the first syllables to "What the hell's the matter?" when she reached Liv's side and saw her expression. Following her gaze, Belle too gasped in shock, saying in a hushed whisper, "What is it?" as though the occasion deserved reverence.   
  


Below them on the ground was a flat, smooth, white stone, circular with a diameter of about three feet and lying a few inches above the ground. Embedded in the center of the rock, an inch or so apart, were diamond like crystals shaped like perfect spheres. Simultaneously the two friends looked up at one another as though seeking some form of reassurance. Liv spoke first whispering, "Could it be from outer space?" ready to believe practically anything.  
  


"No," Belle said quietly, looking down again. Liv looked down as well. "No," Belle repeated after a moment, "It's too beautiful, too natural." Then, as if on cue, the crystal closest to Belle, on the western side, began to glow with the golden light of the sun, and the crystal closest to Liv, on the eastern side, began to glow with the silver light of the moon. First Liv, then Belle looked skyward for the source of the light. Seeing it, the sky, they could do nothing but stare in wonder and amazement, for in the west the sun still shown with its radiant light, yet in the east the moon shown as well, giving out its own pure, silver light.   
  


Suddenly a great golden column of light connected the sun and the western crystal while a silver column connected the moon and the eastern crystal. Then, before either Liv or Belle had a chance to even open their mouths a bare centimeter in shock, they were each drawn into the columns, Belle into the golden one and Liv into the silver one. Eyes closed, they both felt as if the light itself was coursing through their very veins.  
  


Then, below them, the great crystals shattered into millions of tiny pieces, swirling up and around them, like golden stars around Belle and silver around Liv. Abruptly the shards of crystal stopped swirling and dove straight at the two girls, covering every inch of Liv with silver light and Belle with golden. The largest sliver of the sun crystal implanted itself in the very center of Belle's chest, while the largest sliver of the moon crystal went into the center of Liv's chest.

  
  


All of a sudden the two columns, gold and silver, were merging into one of pure, un-endless, white light. Liv and Belle swirled around as if in a great dance as old as time itself that kept everything growing and living, directing all life to the light at the end. Yet some did stray form that path of light. In fact, many do, but that was not their destiny. 

  
  
  
  


Then, as Liv and Belle spun, one last, great burst of light sent them soaring off apart, Belle to the East, and Liv to the West.


	3. Mirkwood

Disclaimer- I own nothing except my two main characters, and various other people who will appear for plot purposes. I do not take credit for Middle-Earth or any places, people, or things therein. Please tell me in either a review or an e-mail if it seems I am trying to take credit for something that is not mine and I will correct it as soon as I possibly can.   


Author's Note- Thank you to all my reviewers!  


Fimriel- I'm glad you find it interesting. In answer to your question, yes it does take place in the third age. To be exact, they, Belle and Liv, will land in Middle-Earth three days after Mid-Summer in the year 3017. The Fellowship leaves Rivendell on December (Ringare) 25, 3018.  
  


Young Bess- I am trying as hard as I can to keep this from being a Mary-Sue. Trust me on that one. Yes, I know the poem was way out there, but they're not going to be better, as in prettier, or stronger, than Galadriel in anyway, Not to mention Gandalf. The only time they will every really use there "powers" is near the very end of the story. I will be trying as hard as I can to keep it realistic. Please keep reading.  
  
  


Chapter Two~  
  


Belle felt herself being flung through the air by a great push, but she did not feel any wind resistence. In fact, she felt nothing but the ever diminishing push from behind her. Then below her, land came into view, a thread of blue that must be a great river, and a blue-green smudge of dark forest the loomed ever closer. Just as she was certain she would collide with the great, uninviting trees, she felt almost as if the ground reached up to ease her fall, and she landed with a soft flump on the grass. Almost immediately she felt exhaustion sweep over her as if the journey through the sky had taken every ounce of strength out of her.  
  


She did not here the light footsteps approaching her, nor the muffled thud as something fell to the ground, but she did hear the soft tenor voice in her ear saying, "All is well, golden one. I am here," there was a short pause, and then, "And I always will be."  
  


*****  
  


Legolas stood on a low branch in a tree on the western edge of Mirkwood. He had been leading a border patrol further north when a scout reported to him of the troop. They, Legolas' border patrol, had been tracking the Orcs for two days, and now they were on the southern edge of the Elf-King's realm.   
  


Legolas stood now watching them move on southward till even his elvish eyes could no longer follow their progress. He then turned his keen gaze westward and northward. Seeing that all was peaceful he prepared to depart to report his findings to his father, King Thranduil, when he suddenly heard gasps and exclamations from his company around him. The sky had suddenly become a pale blue as it was during the day, and no longer could you see the bright stars. Then everything was lit with golden light, as bright as the sun, if not brighter. This golden light was coming from somewhere above their heads. But it was gone as soon as it came, and everything was back to normal, yet from his vantage point, Legolas could see a soft golden light flickering on the ground, not far in front of him.  
  


Dropping down to the ground without a sound, Legolas quickly notched as arrow and advanced cautiously. By the time he reached the spot he had seen, the light had diminished. In it's place was what looked like a golden haired elvish maiden. Seeing her, Legolas quickly dropped his weapon and knelt at her side.  
  


Pushing aside her fair locks, he turned her on her back. His eyes grew wide when he saw her pale face, for she was no elf-maiden, but a child of the mortal race of men. He spoke no word, for just then she stirred and her eyelids fluttered, yet did not open. Softly he spoke into her ear saying, "All is well, golden one. I am here," Legolas paused here and added even more softly, "And I always will be."  
  


At that Legolas straightened up stiffly. He had no idea what had possessed him to say that. He had never seen this girl in his life. By the time other members of he patrol arrived, he was standing, gazing cooly at the girl lying in front of him. The others took similar positions as Legolas had a swift inner council. The final decision was that he would have her brought back to the halls of King Thranduil for any necessary healing, and possibly questioning. For all he knew, she could be some spy from Dul Guldor. Also, he couldn't just leave her lying here.  
  


Legolas then ordered two elves to carry her back to the camp. Once they left, carrying the girl, he allowed himself a small sigh. It was an eight day journey, by elvish roads, on horse back to the Halls, and he was now burdened with a mortal child.  
  


*****  
  


Belle slowly opened her eyes as she felt movement beneath her. She was on a horse, riding bareback, with her hands bound in front of her. Her head had fallen down to rest on her chest in her unconsciousness. Looking up and around she saw that her bound hands had a rope that attached to them. With her eyes she followed the rope till she saw it was being held by someone on a horse only a few feet in front of her. Belle also noticed that she was in no way attached to the horse she was riding, and whoever was her captor, was in no way leading the horse. 'Now, to get free..." she thought, quietly inspecting her bonds.   
  


"It is good to see you have awoken, stranger," spoke a light voice in front of her. Belle was so startled she visibly jumped, hastily looking toward her captor. Legolas checked his horse so the two were now riding side by side. "Might I ask your name?" Legolas asked, turning toward Belle. The words were polite, but the tone wasn't. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm. It was more uncaring, as if she were a trivial thing.  
  


Now Belle could have a proper look at his face. He wore strange clothing that she had never seen before, and he carried a bow and arrow, as well as two daggers. But it was his face that most intrigued her. His eyes were a clear dark blue, compared to her own pale blue-green eyes, and his hair was a few shades darker than hers, with more brown in it that came to his shoulders and was held back by tiny braids. What Belle remembered most about her first impression of him wasn't exactly what he looked like though, but what he was. He seemed like a normal man, yet there was something about him that implied something beyond her imagination, something fair, and noble, and eternal. It was throughout him, most strongly in his eyes. Her thoughts were broken by his voice again when he said, "You are a prisoner and I asked you your name. You have no choice but to speak, unless you are mute, in which case I must excuse you, I suppose. Or can you not hear me?" The last bit he shouted very loudly, making a few leaves fall out of the trees above them.   


If there is one thing Belle can not stand, it's overbearing, egotistical males who believe they have a right to everything in life, and women are only there for there whims, and to have kids. Needless to say, Legolas' remark set her temper going. "Yes, unfortunately I can hear you, and your ego, loud and clear. You think that I must answer you, just because you have me tied and own a horse, calling me your prisoner?! If you do, I'm sorry to say, but you are mistaken. What, did you just expect me to burst into hysterical tears, begging you to let me free, and then to worship the very ground you walk on? Or did you think I would faint, and make a huge show of how weak, pathetic, frail, and useless I was, and then to proceed to fawn over you as if you were some prince of this land? Well, I won't tell you a thing. I don't even care if you're the king of this place, nobody walks up to me and demands something."  
  


With that, Belle bent down to inspect her bonds again, and for the first time, noticed what she was wearing. She had on a solid white gown, that would have flowed down to the ground had she been standing, with flared sleeves that kept sliding over her hands, becoming a nuisance. Over that, apparently someone had put a dark green cloak around her, for it was far to big for her lithe form. Her feet however were bare, though they were not cold. Though Belle did not know it, it was just after Midsummer.   
  


Legolas was just sitting quietly on his horse, not really in shock, but mildly surprised nonetheless. He had expected some form of fainting, or tears. Then again, the only women he'd come in contact were the noblewomen who lived in the Halls. And Tanwen, but she didn't count. Every time he came saw the noblewomen they would have this horrible simpering expression on their face, and if he even said "Good morning" to them, they were reduced in to a state of giggles, not fit for further conversation. This maiden seemed to not care in the slightest that most captors would have killed her on the spot for such insolence.   
  


Belle was by now getting uncomfortable with the silence between them, and she had a question she was dying to ask him. Okay, several questions. "Alright," Belle began in a brisk, bargaining tone, "If I tell you my name, would you tell me Who and What you are, and exactly where the hell are we?" Her tone, while at first had an under current of annoyance, soon changed to desperation at the fact that she was completely and hopelessly lost, and she had no idea where Liv was. But she added quickly, "And only if you go first."  
  


For some reason, this cheered Legolas up, for he had never had a female treat him this informally, well except for Tanwen. Tanwen was the closest thing to a mother Legolas had after his own had died. She was also head women of the lower caverns where the servants were. It was rather nice for a change to have someone speak to him in that manner. "If you insist, milady," Legolas began, the last word spoken with heavy sarcasm, "My name is Legolas Greenleaf, and I am Prince of the Elf Realm of Mirkwood which you are now in. Also, if you would like to know, it is the third day after Midsummer, and we are journeying Eastward toward the halls of my father, King Thranduil. I believe it is now your turn?"  
  


Belle sighed and said, "I suppose fair is fair, isn't it? I hadn't expected you to agree though." She looked to Legolas for an answer, then suddenly realization hit her. "Did, did," she spluttered, "Did you just say you were an elf?" Belle was now staring at Legolas in shock, mouth open and eyes wide. He nodded and looked at her quizzically. "But...But," she continued, still struggling to comprehend what she had heard, "But, elves don't exist. You, Your impossible. But...But.." And just when Legolas thought she was going to stutter off into oblivion, she laughed out loud, like the sound of pure ringing bells. It was a laugh of such pure joy that even Legolas felt himself starting to smile. "If I wasn't on a horse with my hands tied, I would dance. It's happened, it's finally happened to me. I'm lost in a place that shouldn't even exist, but I'm here." Belle then laughed again for a while before ending with a long, happy sigh.  
  


Of course, Legolas hadn't a clue what had just made her so happy, and he was just a little irked that she had yet to tell him her name. "Ahem," Legolas cleared his throat loudly.  
  


"Oh," she was obviously startled, "I'd forgotten you were there, um, What did you say your name was?" She didn't seem angry anymore, in fact, she seemed quite cheerful, if a little apprehensive.  
  


"Prince," Legolas exaggerated the title to make sure she heard him, "Legolas of Mirkwood."  
  


Belle made a face, "Mirkwood? What a dreary name." She looked up at the dark forest around them, with the trees so close together the sun didn't even penetrate through the foliage, but instead shed a pale, misty green light over them. Legolas could have sworn she paled at this. She was already quite pale, not the pale like the elf maidens he knew, but an unnatural pale. 'Maybe she's sick,' Legolas thought, 'Actually, she looks like I've seen some of my soldiers look after they've used to much energy.'   
  


But his train of thought was interrupted when Belle then looked at Legolas questioningly and asked, "If your are a prince like you say you are, then why don't you have and escort? In all the stories I've read, princes go on adventures by themselves, but they never capture prisoners alone. Actually," her tone was now thoughtful, "I've never heard of a prince having a girl as a prisoner. Sounds kind of pathetic actually, the only prisoner he could find was some girl lying unconscious on the ground."  
  


"I'm not pathetic," Legolas sounded almost pouty, like a child who won't get his way, after all, this was the first time he could remember a maiden speaking so rudely and openly to him, "And I am a prince. The one and only of Mirkwood. And I did have an escort, but I had to send them back to the borders because there was a skirmish with Orcs. You were unconscious then. And if you saw some one just fall out of the sky glowing like the sun, wouldn't you be a little afraid and take whoever it was prisoner?"  
  


"You were afraid of me?" Belle said disbelievingly, "Because if it's true, then you really are pathetic," then Belle took on a deep voice, as if announcing something important, "Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, the most dreary forest in the world, is afraid of some girl he found lying unconscious on the ground, and is now taking her prisoner only because she scares him. What d'ya think folks?"  
  


"I wasn't scared of you, you just scared us with you little "fall out of the sky looking like I'm on fire" routine. That was scary."  
  


"Well, if I don't scare you now, could you let me go?"  
  


"Why would I let someone go when they won't even tell me their name?"  
  


"I changed my mind," Belle said, "I'll tell you my name if you let me go."  
  


"We had an agreement and I held up my end of it, it's your turn."  
  


Belle paused a moment, and then asked, "Are you leading my horse in anyway?"  
  


Legolas was startled enough by the complete irrelevance of the question to answer immediately, "No."  
  


Belle paused again, with her left heel feeling the horse's flank for the right place to kick. She hadn't ridden horses for over half her life for nothing. There was a specific place on the horse's side that you could kick to make him bolt forward. 'This is going to hurt," Belle thought with and inward grimace. She then said out loud, "What if I did this?" With that she kicked the horse as hard as she could with her heel. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt the horse slide out for underneath her as she brought her legs together and sprang of the back of the horse. Belle managed to land on her feet, but the impact brought her down to her hands and knees.  
  


Getting up, Belle instantly began walking again, dusting the dirt a leaf litter off her front side. The dress she wore was now filthy, but Belle didn't care one bit. Legolas' horse kept on walking forward, more out of habit than anything else. Legolas was however staring at her with mingled fury and amusement. Angry that she had caused him to lose a horse, and amusement that she'd actually just done what he'd seen her do.  
  


"You're going to walk all the way to the Halls then?" Legolas questioned her.  
  


"Well, seeing as I haven't much choice now, yes, I am," Belle said as she strode resolutely forward, wincing now and then when her bare feet came in contact with something sharp.   
  


"Here," Legolas said, holding out a hand to her two bound ones. The rope that was attached to her hands he still held. "My horse can carry both of us."  
  


"Thank you, but no," she replied, not even glancing at his outstretched hand, "I prefer the walking."  
  


"You were unconscious for nearly two days, you are not fit for walking such a distance," he said, glancing at her bare feet and pale complexion.  
  
  
  


"I feel fine," Belle replied as convincingly as she could. She had never been a good liar, and it was all too easy to see that she most certainly couldn't walk to to the Halls. "And I'll walk all the way to the Halls if I have to." The last bit she said quieter, and more to reassure herself than anything else.  
  


"Milady, why won't you except my help?" Legolas now sounded a bit desperate. She could not walk all the way to the Halls. They still had a good six day journey ahead of them.  
  


"Because, prince," the title dripping in sarcasm, "You will not set me free." Belle continued on walking forward, slightly ahead of Legolas and his horse. She then added as an afterthought, "And I won't tell you my name either."  
  


And with that they walked on for hours. Belle, while at first walking in front determinedly, had gradually fallen behind till at the day's end she was straggling a few feet behind Legolas and his horse, repeatedly tripping over tree roots that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Repeatedly the prince offered to let her ride on the horse with him, and every time she stubbornly refused. Finally, when Belle thought she could go no further, Legolas told her they would rest here. He then dismounted his horse and walked into the forest, leaving Belle standing bewildered in the middle of the path they'd been on, until she felt the jerk of her hands and she followed him.  
  


They were in a small clearing, apparently well used because there was a decent pile of wood by the smouldering embers of a fire. Not far away she could hear water gushing. Looking around toward Legolas, Belle saw that he had let his horse go, not even tying him to a tree, and was walking toward her. "Sit down," he commanded, pointing to the ground. Belle would have been more than happy to comply, seeing as she'd just walked hours barefoot, in fact, she would have been more than happy to collapse on the ground, but no one, absolutely no one told Isabelle Simmons what to do. The fact that she was now a prisoner in some dreary forest that wasn't even supposed to exist and that her hands were bound and her feet so worn out she probably couldn't walk five feet was just a minor detail at the moment.   
  


"No one tells me what to do," Belle began hotly, "I have never let myself be ordered around, and I don't plan on starting now." Then, before Belle could stop herself, she added, "So there," and turned her back on Legolas, like a small child throwing a tantrum. While Belle was mentally smacking herself, Legolas couldn't help the smile that slowly spread across his face.   
  


Suddenly, there was a loud neigh, followed by a second one and the sound of horses coming up. "It seems," Legolas began, "That your horse has returned." Belle couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her lips, and Legolas chose not to say anything. He then walked over to his horse, and took a flask from it. Opening it, he drank from it. "Here," Legolas said, tossing the flask to Belle, who had sat down and was now leaning against the tree, her legs stretched out in front of her. Belle had caught it reflexively, but was now staring at it suspiciously. "It is just water, and do drink it, you've walked for over half the day. And by the way, I'm not ordering you to drink, I'm asking you."  
  


There was something in his tone that made Belle scowl, but for the first time she noticed exactly how thirsty she was, and, swallowing her pride, took a long drink from the flask. It was water and probably the best water Belle had ever had. Her thirst now quenched, well, seeing as she'd just drunk all the water in the flask, it was as quenched as it was going to get, her stomach began to rumble. "Here," he said, throwing her a piece of waybread wrapped in some cloth, "It won't kill you."  
  


Belle then gradually sank into a daze while she ate, staring unseeingly at Legolas as he busied himself around the campsite. "Here," she thought she heard him say softly as she felt something warm being wrapped around her bruised and blistered feet. The last thing she remembered before she finally went to sleep was the sound of someone singing softly in a strange language that made pictures of wonderful places appear before her eyes, but then again, she was probably just dreaming.   
  


*****  
  
"Milady," Legolas said softly as he gently shook Belle's shoulder for the third time. She wouldn't wake. Sighing wearily, he finished packing camp as quickly as he could. The next few days of the journey would take them through the darkest part of the forest, and he wanted to go ahead and get started. The sooner you leave the sooner you get there.

  
  


Legolas easily lifted Belle's lithe frame onto the horse, securing her bound hands to the horse. Jumping nimbly on to his own horse, he began the last few days of the journey. Belle's condition only worsened, her pallor going gradually from white to gray. Only once did speak something that made any sense, but Legolas kept those words long to himself.


End file.
